By Neena Bleill, seventh grader, Edison Middle School
It’s no secret that the Champaign Public Library is awesome. In fact, according to Library Journal, the library has a four-star rating in the LJ Index of Public Library Service rating system, placing it among the top 3 percent of libraries in the country.
It makes sense, considering all the resources, materials, events, equipment, spaces and activities it offers. One of these is The Studio, a $3.2 million project expanding the library and what it has to offer.
The Studio is, like the title of this article suggests, an innovative makerspace for creative people of nearly all ages. It has something for everyone, including students, kids, tweens, teens, adults, and families (but I wouldn’t recommend it for babies or younger kids)! The staff is always friendly and willing to help you with what you need, with their reasonable rules.
The Studio has an awesome after-school program with fun activities that rotate every day for students to express their creativity. They can play games, spend time with friends, participate in these fun activities, and use the various equipment The Studio has. For the adults, The Studio hosts creative workshops in the evening. All ages can enjoy The Studio during its open hours, and we’ll talk more about reservations later.
With the Studio’s interior giving it a modern feel, the equipment and innovative tech that is available include:
- Eight Mac studios; eight personal computers; Cricut cutting machines; Glowforge Pro laser cutter; photo printers; 3D printers; two recording booths
- Mac Studio computer with Adobe Suite, Audacity, Final Cut Pro, GarageBand, iMovie, Logic Pro, and OBS Studio; sewing machines; video games; camera kits; DVD burner
- Green screen wall for filming; LED video lights; light box for product photography; photography lighting kit; SmallRig phone video kit; teleprompter; tripods
For more information about the equipment and what can be reserved, you can visit here.
And I know what you’re thinking: It’s a lot, right? Well, now you know why The Studio is so great, and at least partially why it had that $3.2 million price tag. But other than these amazing things, other activities like Perler beads and other various crafting materials are available in The Studio, along with many non-video games you can play with friends and family.
The Studio is more geared to tweens and teens, and the best time to visit The Studio is probably after school, when everything is available for you to use. Some of the activities available after school are using the recording booths (which are only available on Mondays if you wanted to use them after school); Perler beads (regular and mini, with pegboards and other accessories); 3D pens; Bingo; Dungeons and Dragons; trivia; digital art (Procreate/other apps on iPads with Apple pencils); daily crafts; sewing; video games (including various games on the Nintendo Switch and PS5 gaming consoles); the computer lab (16 computers in total); virtual reality headsets; and many others.
If you choose to visit The Studio after school, here are some of the rules. First, you have to leave your backpack and all of your stuff under the stairs. You can take out things like a book but most of your stuff has to stay in the same place. Second, no food is allowed in The Studio. Third, if you’re in the TV gaming area, you have to be sitting down. No worries, though, thanks to the beanbags and comfy chairs in this space. Fourth, of course, behave at least decently. No horse-playing, fighting, and minimal cursing.
The Studio is located on the basement level of Champaign Public Library, 200 W. Green St., across from Edison Middle School. It can be found just outside the Friendshop Bookstore through the clear glass doors. You can use the elevator to go down to the lowest floor or descend the stairs from the main floor next to the second-floor stairs.
The Studio is open on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sundays from noon-6 p.m. For students — specifically EMS students like me who can just walk down the street to get there — The Studio is open after school until 4:15 p.m. There are also special hours on Thursdays from 5-7 p.m. Reservations are available for Studio tools and the recording booths for two hours at a time. Other creative tools, like the computer lab and gaming devices, are available without having to be reserved. To book a reservation, you can visit here.